Family-owned Whitey's Auto Repair celebrates 45th anniversary

There wasn't much in downtown Scottsdale when Whitey Almhjell opened his namesake gas and service station 45 years ago.

"All of his friends thought he was crazy for opening up a shop in that part of town, which was the very edge," said Whitey's son, Scott Almhjell.

Whitey's Auto Repair celebrates its 45th anniversary this month. The eight-bay repair shop, which recently launched a Web site and social media, has been a neighborhood mainstay since it opened at Indian School and Miller roads.

At the time, Paul Messinger had opened Messinger's Mortuary at the same intersection. The City of Scottsdale Hospital, now called Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, was erected at Osborn Road and Civic Center Boulevard. There was no Scottsdale City Hall, library or arts center.

In 1985, Whitey's was relocated before moving to its current location near Civic Center Plaza and Thomas Road in 1992, Scott said.

The business has managed to stay viable, despite competition from chains and franchises.

"We're very low-key. My dad is really humble and doesn't like self-promotion," said Scott, general manager. "We depend on word-of-mouth."

At Whitey's, customers are greeted by name. Operations are a family affair, and mechanics work directly with clients so there is no middle man, Scott said.

Ten employees work about five days a week. The garage is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

"It's a 10-hour day that we work," Scott said. "Most customers appreciate that we are closed on the weekends because it shows that we do care about our employees."

Scott took over operations several years ago. Growing up, he worked odd jobs at his father's gas station and served in the Persian Gulf War. Now he runs the family business.

With 10,000 customers since 2003, Scott incorporated 21st-century technology into operations. A computer system tracks the names of individual and fleet customers. Last year, Whitey's launched www .whiteysautorepair.com. Social media also has been helpful.

"We're just trying to stay abreast of social media like Facebook and Twitter," Scott said. "For the Web site, I resisted for a long time. . . . We're a small business and we have to watch our expenditures. So I was able to get it done through a friend of mine."

Employees at Whitey's are as loyal as the customers. Kevin Downey, service manager, is approaching his 21st year in the business. Customers know him by name, and he knows them.

"Whitey built this on his reputation. We're one of the better shops around," Downey said.